In the Maths department, we have introduced a new way to assess classwork. We have created an acronym which students will be encouraged to adhere to:
Spelling
Terminology
Accuracy
Mathematical Notation
Presentation
Students who have met these criteria in their work will receive the ‘PGHS Maths STAMP of approval’.
To ensure students (and staff!) are using the correct terminology, we have put together a list of banned words and their replacements, which will be displayed in every Maths classroom. Students will be encouraged to correct one another and ‘tell off the teacher’ if a banned word is accidentally used.
Mrs Bennet is leading on Mastery in Secondary Mathematics and is working one day a week for the NW Abacus Maths Hub.
Once a week, we meet as a department to further improve teaching mathematics for understanding using MASTERY techniques and strategies.
We have invested in more apparatus to support students’ learning so they that can understand the structure of the mathematics before moving onto more abstract learning. We have also continued to use SMART to support the visual aspect of mathematics. All our homework grids for years 9 to 11 have additional Mastery Questions to improve students’ problem solving and reasoning skills by improving mathematical thinking.
Between 21st and 25th January, students in Year 7 made the short walk into Preston to visit Lancashire Archives.
Part of the day was spent meeting Matthew Nash, a medieval scribe who explained just how important his job was in the 12th century. Matthew then offered us some one-on-one training, as we created our own versions of the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle and the Magna Carta.
The remainder of the day was spent with an archivist who took us into the archive itself. Students and teachers alike were enthralled by many of the items brought out for us. We were lucky enough to see some of the most important items in the entire collection. These included documents from Henry VIII and Elizabeth I. We even saw a hand written note from 1180!
All Year 7 students represented our school magnificently and made a great impression on the staff at the archives. It was a fascinating day out and made an excellent introduction to our investigations of medieval life.
On Friday 24th January, all Year 10 and 11 students listened intently to the testimony of Holocaust survivor, Susan Pollack MBE, via weblink. The event was organised by the Holocaust Education Trust, with over 50,000 students nationwide watching her testimony. Susan’s articulate portrayal of her personal story of persecution at the hands of Nazi Germany and the horrors of life in Auschwitz and Bergen-Belsen was truly unforgettable. Susan provided a chronological account of how the persecution against her family became more extreme over time, with acts of personal bravery and courage a key theme throughout her experience. Susan ended her talk with a Q&A session, where she provided further insights into the horrors experienced during the Holocaust. For the staff and students present, Susan’s testimony will live long in the memory and enriched and developed our understanding of the Nazi persecution of Jews during the Second World War. If you would like to know more about Susan’s story, you can visit the following website: https://www.het.org.uk/survivors-susan-pollack, or watch the numerous interviews she has given that are available on YouTube.
On Wednesday 12th February we will be holding a GCSE Performance Concert which will allow musicians studying for GCSE Music in Year 10 and 11 to showcase their talents. This is an informal concert which provides girls with the opportunity to perform in a supportive environment. The concert will start at 6pm in the school hall and if you wish to support the girls, tickets are available on ParentPay.
Penwortham Girls’ High School is reflecting on another year of success after receiving official confirmation of our superb GCSE results last summer. Our school has an enviable reputation in Lancashire, built around exceptional academic achievement and the calm, nurturing environment it provides. Penwortham Girls’ High School is the top performing non-selective community school in Lancashire, based on its Progress 8 score, with pupils from all abilities and backgrounds making stunning progress from their relative starting points. Once again, these results confirm the school’s ‘Outstanding’ status from Ofsted, which was awarded in 2014.
As well as its impressive academic achievements, PGHS has recently secured recognition for its work in providing high quality careers guidance. During our annual Futures Days, representatives from over 60 different local employers went on to deliver a range of interactive sessions, working alongside the students to fuel their ambitions and offer inspiration.
We are proud of the caring ethos in our school. Never has this been more evident in the extent and range of fundraising activities that have taken place recently. Staff and students worked together with the Soroptimists to raise funds to support the education of two girls in Swaziland. In fact, last year the school raised nearly £7000 for a range of local, national and international charities, and the girls and staff are aiming to beat this impressive total in the future.
More than anything, 2019 has demonstrated that PGHS most definitely has a proud past and a very bright future.
Both the PGHS Year 7 and Year 8 Netball team had fantastic success last week against Leyland St Mary’s away, on the 23rd January 2020. The girls played tremendously well. The Year 7s won with a score of 13-6 and the Year 8s won by 25-1.
